Judge Horn, at 82, has plenty of time for justice

Thirteen years ago, at the beginning of Gov. Ruth Ann Minner’s second term in office, she appointed Jim Horn of Lewes as a magistrate in the state’s Justice of the Peace courts. The wiry martial arts guy, with a background in private investigations and security systems, knew a lot about the physical side of justice. As a magistrate, he has learned a lot about the legal side of fairness and reckoning.

Minner eventually completed her two terms of office and moved on. Horn, 69 when he was first appointed, kept right on going. “Forty hours a week,” he told me recently. “Our courts are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.” At 82, he’s barely slowed.

He enjoys the work so much that each year he and his wife, Joan, devote considerable time to helping others learn about and get a feel for the state’s justice system. They are part of a group of Delaware lawyers, judges and other volunteers who participate in a statewide mock trial competition for high school students.

Judges from the Justice of the Peace courts, Court of Common Pleas, Superior Court, Chancery Court and Supreme Court preside over trials. Six-member teams of students take on the roles of attorneys and witnesses - three each - as they prosecute and defend in cases before judges and jury. Actual lawyers serve as jurors in the case. One of Delaware’s Supreme Court justices usually presides over the finals.

“Some years the cases selected for competition are criminal; sometimes they are civil,” said Horn. “Each team takes both sides of the case - prosecuting in one trial, defending in the other.”

The total scores they receive create their rank in the competition. “The kids really do a lot of work preparing for these trials. It’s a lot of fun, and they learn a lot. Each school’s team includes 12 kids so they can work both sides of the trial. When you add them all up, there are hundreds of students involved - anywhere from 23 to 28 teams.”

Horn has been a presiding judge in the competitions for more than 10 years now. “Joan serves as my bailiff and swears in the witnesses,” he said.

When the annual February competition ended this year, the lawyers and judges honored the Horns for their dedication to the program. They received this year’s Pete Jones Award, given to people who have made significant contributions to the mock trials. “We’re overwhelmed by the award,” said Horn. “It’s usually reserved for some famous judge in the state.”

The award is named for Francis J. “Pete” Jones, who helped bring the mock trial competition to Delaware and who shepherded it along for nearly two decades.

The Horns won’t be sitting back for long enjoying the glow of their award. They have already made travel arrangements to attend the national competition in Hartford, Conn., in May where they will once again participate. They have been involved in the national competition for many years. The top teams from each state compete. “They come not only from our country, but from around the world too,” said Jim. “South Korea, Guam, the Mariana Islands - they will have teams there this year.”

In the meantime, Jim has to continue to show up for his 8-hour shifts - night and day - usually at Court 3 in Georgetown. Justice is meant to be blind, but just because her eyes are closed doesn’t mean she sleeps.